What if Dan Gilbert owned the Cleveland Indians?
After reading an article today about the projected Cleveland Cavaliers' payroll in 2018, I wondered what the Cleveland Indians' roster would look like if Dan Gilbert owned the team. Let me begin by saying that I realize this is mostly an impossible hypothetical to answer - the NBA is a different sport with different ways for owners and players to make and spend money than the means available in MLB. With that said, let's take a look at some hypothetical numbers:
The Cavs' roster is paid $137,494,845 which is $25,420,245 above the league average (22.7% above). The Cavs may pay approximately $78 million in luxury tax for being about $18 million above the luxury tax threshold (and being a repeat luxury tax offender). This is about 57% of their overall payroll.
The Indians' payroll is $122,807,765, $1,563,829 above the league average of $121,243,936. To get to 22.7% above the league average, the Indians would have to add roughly $26 million to their payroll. So, if Dan Gilbert were to own the Indians and keep his spending at a similar rate above the league average, the Indians would have an extra $26 million to spend this year, perhaps allowing them to have signed Carlos Santana and Joe Smith, or your choice of available free agent hitter and bullpen arm.
More exciting, however, would be Gilbert going for broke and pushing the Indians above the luxury tax threshold in the MLB, which is $197 million. The Cavs are about 16% of the luxury tax threshold OVER the threshold, which in the Indians' case would be roughly $31 million dollars. This would result in an additional $5.5 million in luxury tax penalties (for a first time offender). In order to get up to the luxury tax threshold, the Indians would have to add $74 million to their payroll. So, in other words, the Indians would have an additional $105 million to spend this year to the $31 million already added.
What would our shopping list look like with an additional $105 million available?
1. For sure, we would resign Francisco Lindor for that $25-$30 million per year. Let's split the difference and say this adds $28 million.
2. We resign Carlos Santana for $20 million per year (at this point we recoup the $8 million we spent on Yonder Alonso. Sorry, Yonder, hope you do great, but we're going with Carlos here).
3. We resign Joe Smith or Bryan Shaw for $9 million per year (Smith is my preference, so we'll go with him in this scenario, and it costs us about $8 million).
4. We extend Cody Allen and Andrew Miller for $14 million per year, each (adding a total of $9 million total)
5. We have roughly $36 million remaining, which we can spend on both Lorenzo Cain and Jay Bruce and have some money leftover to sign a lesser relief pitcher like Brandon Kintzler (if you'd like to get another pitcher instead of Bruce or Cain, I'm fine with that argument, but I'm going to try to bash with the Yankees and Astros).
At this point, our dreams-come-true lineup for 2018 looks like:
1. Lorenzo Cain, CF
2. Francisco Lindor, SS
3. Jose Ramirez, 3B
4. Edwin Encarnacion, DH
5. Carlos Santana, 1B
6. Jay Bruce, RF
7. Michael Brantley, LF
8. Jason Kipnis, 2B
9. Roberto Perez, C
Bench:
Two outfielders from the: Bradley Zimmer/Lonnie Chisenhall/Brandon Guyer/Greg Allen/Abraham Almonte/Tyler Naquin collection
A utility guy from the: Giovanny Urshela/Yandy Diaz/Erik Gonzalez collection
Yan Gomes
Plus, our strengthened bullpen and already elite set of starters, I'd feel disappointed if we didn't emerge from the AL in the World Series. Now, of course, I feel pretty good about the Indians as is, and I'd rather have the Indians' front office over the Cavs management anyday... but it's hard not to wish that baseball was set-up in such a way that an owner like Gilbert would be willing to go all in on a Cleveland team to win the World Series.
One final addendum: Lebron's huge popularity and marketability is one of the primary factors which enable Dan Gilbert to allocate so many resources to the Cavaliers. Perhaps, fans who accuse the Dolans of being penny-pinchers should redirect their energy in getting MLB and the Indians to better promote the game and its stars, like Francisco Lindor. Let baseball be fun, let players be flashier, let stars shine brighter, and you might find it incentivizes spending on the part of owners.